


You And Me Make Three

by Sophisticated_Adult



Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-17
Updated: 2013-04-02
Packaged: 2017-12-05 15:37:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/724916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sophisticated_Adult/pseuds/Sophisticated_Adult
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by an old prompt: Hot Rod spends half his time as Rodimus Prime, the other as regular old Hot Rod. He's okay with it, but Starscream really, really isn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Man, where to start. Hand-wavey as all get-out. Everyone lives, the war is over and everyone's fine with it because [SCENE MISSING] ( ~~also because I thought Megatron/Galvatron would be funny~~ ). The original prompt was from the kinkmeme, but I don't do porn so I'm posting it here instead. Here's the prompt:
> 
> _For some weird reason, Hot Rod randomly changes into Rodimus Prime. But not everyone realizes the two are actually the same mech (kinda like Shampoo always trying to marry boy Ranma and kill girl Ranma)_
> 
> _I want to see an obsessive mech (a Decepticon would be interesting) who adores Rodimus, but hates Hot Rod with a passion._
> 
> _Any verse (including movie verse)_
> 
> Not quite what was originally asked for on an old prompt (like 2009 old) but I hope some of you enjoy it at least.

Skywarp scurried down the corridor after his target, easily catching up with the other's languid pace, and tugged the other mech's arm insistently.

"Look, can we talk?"

Hot Rod turned, optics flickering once at the question. "Oh, hey Skywarp. What's up?"

"Look, I just wanna apologise for what a giant afthead Screamer's being. I really don't get it, I mean he knows you're the same but-"

"-he doesn't care?" Hot Rod finished. "Or he cares too much, maybe. Don't worry about it. It's fine."

"No, it isn't!" Skywarp insisted, stamping his foot in a manner more suited to a sparkling than a grown mech. "It is seriously not cool. And it's making us all look bad. Seekers," he explained at Hot Rod's confused expression. "I mean, we all know what he's like, but this is being way worse than usual. And it reflects back on us. People get weird about seekers like that, think we're all a hive mind or something, an' if Screamer's our Commander and he's acting like this towards his own fragging mate..." Skywarp's wings twitched. "They're gonna think we're all jerks."

"Well..." Hot Rod shrugged helplessly. "He won't even be in the same room with me right now. And I'm pretty sure he blocks our comm channel on the days when I'm not Rodimus. I'll try to speak to him, but it'll have to be later."

"Fragger," Skywarp muttered. "I seriously have no idea what his problem is. He gets two gorgeous mechs in one and he bitches and whines about it."

The problem was that Hot Rod, right this second, wasn't Rodimus Prime. Not by Starscream's exacting standards, anyway, even though basically everybody else had gotten over it by now. Even fragging Galvatron got the hint eventually, if only because it had amused Megatron when he'd just kept using the name Rodimus regardless of whether or not Hot Rod was currently in his Primely form.

The best explanation anyone could come up with (thank you, Perceptor) was that something had fritzed when Optimus had unleashed the full power of the Matrix in order to restore the dead. (The actual explanation had a lot more scientific terms all smashed together plus a few 'perhaps's and 'we just don't know's, but Hot Rod got the general gist of it). Still, it was a pretty damn small price to pay - unless you were Starscream - when the only side-effect was that Rodimus Prime had gone into his nightly recharge and woken up as Hot Rod. The reverse was true as well, like clockwork. One cycle as Prime, one cycle as his old self, repeat. It was weird, but Hot Rod was perfectly willing to live with it.

It fragging well pissed Starscream off.

Rodimus Prime had been the one to rescue him from his own madness. Rodimus Prime had been the one who stood up for him. Rodimus Prime had been light in his darkest hour. Rodimus Prime was worthy.

Hot Rod could get the slag out of Starscream's sight before he started shooting.

"I dunno how you can live with it. You could do way better," Skywarp continued, unmistakably eyeing him. "You ever get kicked out for real, me an' TC'll be happy to share our quarters."

"What, and have Starscream miss out on waking up next to Rodimus?" Hot Rod chuckled. "He'll go nuts. It's the only reason he'll even go near me."

"I really hope you think he's worth it," said Skywarp, shaking his head.

"Look, it's..." Hot Rod knew that people wondered about his relationship with Starscream. He'd been surprised but willing to give it a shot when the first thing the revived Air Commander had done with his new body was to tackle Rodimus Prime and demand to be his mate. He hit on an explanation that would satisfy Skywarp, and smirked. "It just means he tries harder when I'm Rodimus."

Skywarp automatically opened his mouth, then actually processed what had been said. "Oh. Ooooh. Yeah, I can see that. Wow. Has to make it count, huh?"

"Use your imagination, you've known him longer than I have."

"No, I haven't." It was said so quietly that he nearly missed it, as though it was a painful admission for the seeker. "Not this one. He's...different. I mean, you can tell he really is super-happy when you're doing your Prime thing. But he's completely unbearable when you're not. I mean, it got so bad that TC got quiet at him."

"Thundercracker's a pretty quiet mech normally, isn't he?"

"I mean he _really_ goes quiet when he's mad. He doesn't like it, none of us do, seein' him treat you like somethin' he just scraped off his feet. Oh, you know Sunstorm? Crazy one who thinks Primus talks to him in his sleep? I swear he's just gonna haul off and punch Screamer if he catches him yellin' at you again, what with you being Prime and all."

"Half a Prime," Hot Rod muttered. Skywarp shrugged. "Seriously, go up to him and ask how he's doing. He'll probably overload on the spot. Wait. Wait! I have the best idea!"

"What?"

"Sunstorm!" Skywarp burst out, clear excitement vibrating through his frame. "Could be anyone, really, but it'll be funny if it's Sunstorm. Just start hanging out on the days when you're not Prime. See how fast Screamer changes his tune when he thinks you're about to ditch him for someone else 'cause he treats you like slag half the time."

"I don't know." Hot Rod shifted uncomfortably. "I don't really want to use anyone."

“Using?” Skywarp repeated incredulously. “This is Sunstorm we’re talking about. His head will probably explode ‘cause a Prime personally asked him for help. He’ll be preening for the rest of his life over this, trust me. He won’t even care that it’s just to get at Starscream, it’ll be great.”

Hot Rod hesitated. One the one hand, he was pretty sure this was a spectacularly bad idea. On the other hand, he didn’t exactly enjoy Starscream’s treatment when he wasn’t Rodimus, whatever he told other mechs. Sunstorm could be a little overbearing, but this could be a chance to get to know him better. Slowly, he nodded his head, and Skywarp whooped and grabbed his arm. “Great! I think he’s on monitor duty.”

“What, we’re going right now?”

“Sure! No better time! He’ll love it. C’mon!”

Dragged unresisting through the halls, Hot Rod was vaguely worried that this wasn’t very Primely behaviour, that Optimus wouldn’t do something like this. But, slag it, wasn’t Kup always telling him that he couldn’t be Optimus, so he might as well be himself? And right now a little payback was actually sounding pretty good to him. Wasn’t like Starscream even wanted him like this, so would it really hurt him that much?

:Yo, Sunny!: Skywarp pinged the other seeker, who took a moment to pick up. :What?: He sounded annoyed. Well, he wouldn’t be once he got wind of this brilliant idea! :I got a Prime here who needs to speak with you,: he replied. Bringing out the big guns as soon as possible, just how he liked it. :Very important. We’re coming over now:

:W-what?: Sunstorm repeated himself, but now it was a mix of flabbergasted excitement and nerves. :O-of course I would be happy to serve the Prime-:

:Great! We’ll be there in a klik:

:It’s just, ah, Soundwave is here:

Skywarp paused for a moment, nearly causing Hot Rod to stumble over him, then shrugged and continued on as though nothing had happened. :Slag Soundwave. Not like he’s gonna stand up for Screamer:

:What?:

:Stop saying that! We’ll tell you when we get there!: Honestly, some mechs.

\---

“Sunstorm!” Skywarp called out excitedly as he burst into the monitoring room, causing every mech present to look up from their screens. “Have I got a deal for you!”

“Sunstorm, working.” Soundwave’s monotone voice informed him. “Skywarp, distraction.”

“I’m on Prime’s business!” Skywarp declared, lightly shoving Hot Rod forward and into everybody’s attention. “You wanna kick out a superior officer?”

The expressionless visor studied them and Hot Rod didn’t trust himself to speak. He never knew what to say to Soundwave.

“Two breems. Sunstorm will make up the difference. Skywarp will work extra breem to make up for distraction.”

“Sure! No problem. C’mere.” Skywarp held out an impatient hand, clearly ready to start dragging again, and Sunstorm hurried over, optics bright. :I knew he liked you. Three extra breems? That’s nothin’!:

He still wasn’t sure about this. Feeling Sunstorm’s obvious excitement, though, Hot Rod thought that it surely couldn’t be that bad. Starscream got Rodimus half the time anyway, and clearly didn’t want him otherwise, so maybe it wasn’t so bad for him to see someone else when his mate was throwing a fit.

His spark squeezed up a little at that. His mate. He wasn’t supposed to cheat on his mate, right? Ah, but he wasn’t actually cheating, he was just…pretending to...in order to deliberately hurt and provoke Starscream.

They were barely two steps out of the monitoring room when Hot Rod stopped suddenly, and the two seekers swung around to face him.

“I can’t do this,” he blurted.

“Sure you can! You don’t even have to try very hard to set him off, I bet. Just hold hands or something.”

“I don't want to deliberately hurt him! It's cruel!”

Skywarp stared in absolute disbelief. “Oh, Primus. _Autobots_. Sunny, back me up here, tell him he's being crazy and stubborn and Screamer needs a kick in the face. A bit of hand-holding and googly optics won't kill him.” The other seeker opened his mouth, but Skywarp just continued on his tirade. “You're allowed to be selfish, you know! You're not even Prime right now!”

“Oh? I though this was _Prime's business_.” Hot Rod folded his arms. “It doesn't just switch off when I feel like it.”

“It does for Starscream,” Skywarp said bitterly.

“Would you mind telling me what this is about? Er, if it pleases you, my lord,” Sunstorm hastily added, his tone going from waspishly annoyed at Skywarp to reverent when he met Hot Rod's optics and quickly looked aside.

“Oh, forget it. You're all useless!” There was a brief woomph of compressed air and Skywarp vanished in a puff of purple smoke, leaving his companions behind to shuffle awkwardly at each other as the string of muttered curses faded.

“My lord, is there-”

“Don't call me that, I'm not lord of anything. Look, I'm sorry about this. I'll try to talk to Soundwave, this wasn't your fault.”

Sunstorm nodded and reset his vocalizer, almost as if he was nervous. “Still...I gathered that this is about Starscrea-”

“Stop right there.” Hot Rod held up a hand and Sunstorm immediately clamped his mouth shut. It would have been funny if it wasn't so unsettling to see a powerful seeker reduced to quivering servitude over someone like him.

“I know the seekers don't like it-”

“It's unacceptable,” Sunstorm said, optics bright and glittering the way they would have back during the war. “Starscream has no idea what sacrilege he commits every day-”

“Sacrilege?” Hot Rod couldn't help but laugh. He was sacred now, at least to one mech. It was easier to deal with as Rodimus - although the doubt was still there no matter how much Kup chided and Springer yelled at him for it - but as regular old Hot Rod it was hard to see at all what people saw in him, and it was only compounded by Starscream's rejection. His own mate thought him disgusting.

“My lord.” Sunstorm placed his hands in Hot Rod's and ignored the order given earlier. “I see what Skywarp's idea was. I can see why you would dislike it. A Prime does not desire to hurt other mechs.” Someone who understood? Kind of, maybe? Maybe you had to be a little bit crazy to 'get' it in the first place, Hot Rod mused. He couldn't order Starscream to like him, and it would be too much like an order if they had The Talk when he was Rodimus.

“We don't have to...'make googly optics', as Skywarp says. But if...perhaps...on the days when you are in this form, I could offer my companionship.”

_I already have friends,_ Hot Rod wanted to say, but it wasn't as though Sunstorm had intended to insult him by implying that he didn't; the seeker would be horrified at the very idea. And looking at the over-bright, hopeful optics, the twitching wings stretched out in a sign of fluttering worry and desire to protect, the proud seeker form...well, slag it, saying no would be like kicking a newborn turbofox in the face. A Prime does not desire to hurt other mechs, after all.

“Yeah...okay. If that's all right with you,” he added uselessly, but he still felt better for saying it.

“My lord, it is an honour.” Sunstorm actually bowed, wings swept wide, and Hot Rod stifled a miserable sound in his throat. He wasn't opposed to having a seeker dote on him, just as long as, you know, it was his mate.

He couldn't fragging wait for this whole awful cycle to be over so he could go back to being Rodimus and people would stop trying to interfere all the time. All they remembered were the tantrums and the glares and his own silent misery, not the adoring look in Starscream's optics, the soft touches given at every opportunity, the spark bursting with love and pride. Did they even see it on those other days? Did they care? Certainly they didn't understand. You couldn't force the love and devotion that Starscream held for Rodimus Prime.

“You had better get back to Soundwave. Time's almost up,” Hot Rod said, grateful for the excuse to escape. “Tell him I want to speak to him about your extra time whenever he's available.”

“Thank you, my lord, you are most generous.” Sunstorm's hand lingered in his own for a few more kliks, then withdrew. “Unfortunately, I have a scheduled flight with my trine after my shift, by which point the cycle will be over. I presume you do not wish my presence during the next cycle?”

“Starscream probably won't let you near me, so no. Don't worry about it.” Hot Rod wondered at the _unfortunately_ , hating the fact that apparently Sunstorm ranked him over his own trine. Maybe he'd have to find Acid Storm and Ice Storm and apologise, as he realised that he'd essentially be stealing their trine-mate from them for half the time and blithely ignoring him the other half.

“Until the second cycle, then.” Sunstorm dipped his head, one more gesture of submission, and began to make his way back to the monitor room. Two and a half breems. Hot Rod sighed. And now he had to placate Soundwave as well.

When had his life gotten so fragged up?

\---

Hot Rod sat morosely in the rec room, fully intending to get slagged off his face until he woke up as Rodimus with Starscream clinging to him. If he was really lucky he'd have no memory of this whole rotten cycle either.

"You seem tense."

He looked up and watched blearily as Galvatron slipped into the chair across from him. He hadn't even heard the heavy footfalls approaching, which must have meant that the high-grade was working. Encouraged, Hot Rod took another gulp from his cube before he acknowledged his one-time nemesis.

"Please don't try to talk to me. Everyone keeps tryin' to talk to me today. Don't wanna." He slumped forward onto the table again, head resting on his hands. He didn't know exactly when the transformation to Rodimus took place - it was never when he was conscious - but he wished it would just happen already. People would actually listen to him then. Starscream could stand to look at him then.

Galvatron nodded thoughtfully, 'hmm'd to himself, sat back in his chair and took a sip from his own cube. That was enough to raise alarm bells, because since when would Galvatron ignore a direct challenge like that? For once, though, Hot Rod was just too listless to care. Galvatron wanted to keep his mouth shut? Good.

For the next two or three breems, the only movement was Galvatron quietly drinking his cube and other mechs giving their table a wide, wide berth. While there was no talking, the intense gaze from his unwanted companion wasn't really much better. Hot Rod stiffened suddenly when he felt a soft brush against his field. He sat up, looked around the room, then pointedly back at Galvatron, who hadn't moved except to place down his empty cube.

"That counts as talking," he snapped. Galvatron's response was to smirk and fold his arms, and then -

Hot Rod choked back a cry, desperately not wanting to draw attention to their little scene, when Galvatron's field flared and pushed against his own, causing him to writhe against the unexpected flood of Unicronian energy. Galvatron may have thrown off his master's chains but he couldn't undo his own origin, and right now it was nearly smothering Hot Rod.

The invasion was gone almost as soon as it had arrived, but even that quick contact left him gasping against the table.

"What - the frag are you -"

"You're tense," Galvatron repeated amiably, as if this were the most normal thing in the world to be doing. "Your energy field is a complete mess. I can help you with that."

"That's - not - helping," Hot Rod wheezed. He quickly scanned the rest of the rec room, trying to calculate if any of the handful of mechs that hadn't been driven off by his own stormcloud of a field or Galvatron's presence would actually be able to fight off the warlord if he shouted that Galvatron was trying to kill him.

"You need to concentrate on something else. I have a few ideas." Galvatron leaned forward and was suddenly, disconcertingly close. Optic-to-optic, something churned in those red depths that Hot Rod ought to have been able to recognise but, right now, he felt that he could be forgiven for not doing so. Instead he was sharply reminded of the height he gained and lost daily with the transformations, but right now Galvatron had a weight over him that was nothing to do with physical size.

"I think," Hot Rod said, inwardly amazed at how calm and level-headed he sounded when he was anything but - "that this cycle really can't get any worse."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: contains my failtastic attempts at writing Starscream.

Rodimus came online with the word _slag_ reverberating through his conscious even before he switched on his optics. Something had gone terribly wrong last night, but all he could remember was - oh, please no. Surely even he wouldn't be that drunk and stupid? Dreading what he was going to see, his optics flickered on with pale blue light.

Slag.

Oh, yeah. He really could be that drunk and stupid.

He was sprawled across Galvatron's chest, Megatron and Cyclonus in peaceful recharge either side of them. He whimpered slightly as Galvatron shifted, then settled back down. He was going to die. Starscream was going to murder him. If there was one mech his mate despised more than Hot Rod, it was Galvatron. You know, the whole killing-him-in-his-moment-of-glory thing. 

A heavy arm was flung across his back, obviously intended to press him close against Galvatron's frame, but it had gone slack in recharge. Not even daring to cycle air through his intakes, Rodimus slowly began to wriggle backwards, keeping sharp optics on all three Decepticons. How he hadn't woken any of them right now was a miracle, and he wasn't about to press his luck further with any sudden movements. 

After all the fuss he'd made over pretend-cheating with Sunstorm last night, he'd gone ahead and slept with the worst possible mech there was for such an activity. Mechs, even, as Cyclonus was fanatically loyal as ever to his Lord Galvatron and Megatron was, well, Megatron. It wasn't like he had to draw a picture for why that was a phenomenally bad idea, to the point where he was half-wondering if his energon hadn't been spiked with something last night. All he remembered was clinging to Galvatron and letting him steer his drunken aft out of the rec room; everything that came afterwards was a merciful haze. Not that that made what he'd done any better, but at least he didn't have the memories of it. 

:Good, you're awake. I'm already at the lab. Come on over as soon as you've had your energon:

Rodimus was quite proud that he managed not to scream when Starscream commed him. He simply froze, half-straddling Galvatron's legs as he made his way towards the end of the berth with the wild idea that he was being watched, but there wasn't a flicker of movement from the other mechs. Decepticons apparently enjoyed their late mornings.

He didn't even get a chance to respond before the comm link shut off. Oh, that wasn't a good sign at all. Starscream had sounded downright mild, no shrieking accusations for where he'd been last night, but that meant nothing. Starscream could pick and choose his moments to explode the same way humans decided what clothes to wear for the day: instantly and all at once, or carefully calculated the night before. 

Rodimus still had more immediate problems. He finally reached the end of the berth, carefully picked his way around the tangled feet, and dropped quietly to the floor. He held still for a few kliks, not knowing why he was being so careful about this when the other mechs would obviously know what had happened last night; there was enough swapped paint and the smell of lubricant to attest to that. That didn't mean he wanted to talk to them. Rodimus took a few steps backwards, shook his head, and fled the room. 

He didn't notice the slow smirk across Megatron's face.

\---

First stop, the washracks. He was lucky. This late in the morning, both those returning from night shift and those getting ready for the day had all been and gone, leaving Rodimus alone to scrub out last night's evidence. He was such a stupid fragger. Wasn't it Ultra Magnus' job to stop him doing stupid things? 

Way to go, trying to blame someone else for his own dumb mistakes. 

The worst part was the tank-churning sight of silver-grey streaks down his thighs. Even if Galvatron and Cyclonus kept quiet, there was no way Megatron wouldn't use this somehow. The war might be over, but Starscream's mocking defiance of Megatron and Megatron's casual cruelty towards Starscream was as strong as ever. So far there had been no actual violence between the two, but Rodimus had the sinking feeling that might be about to change. 

He did the best he could, turning his body into awkward positions in front of the steamed-up mirror, but he didn't think there was anything on his back. Nothing obvious like a big blotch of dark purple, anyway.

All right, Rodimus, breathe. Step one, complete. Step two, energon. So what if he was late? He practically had permission from Starscream to get energon first.

He ended up carrying it with him to the lab.

\---

"Sorry I'm late," he said as he pushed open the door.

"Ah! Rodimus!" In an instant Starscream abandoned whatever he was working on and quickly crossed the floor to his mate. He gently tugged on Rodimus' arm, urging him into the lab. "No matter, we only need you for some base readings today. Did you ask Optimus?"

"Slag, I completely forgot. Sorry. Yesterday was kind of...not great," Rodimus hedged. Starscream clucked his tongue, a gesture Rodimus always found incredibly endearing when he was in scientist mode. "It's only a passing curiosity, really, but it would be good to know nonetheless."

Rodimus nodded, settled down on the lab bench and greeted Skyfire, who smiled warmly back at him. The big shuttle wasn't a seeker, but he'd known Starscream longer than most and was good-sparked enough to be concerned over his treatment of Hot Rod. He'd amiably agreed to help out Starscream in his big project: trying to find the cause of, and stopping, the nightly transformations. Starscream had adamantly refused Wheeljack's well-meaning offer to help out, loudly saying that he didn't want to blow his mate to smithereens, thank you very much. Perceptor dipped in now and then, but as the originator of the explanation for the transformations Starscream was rather snippy towards him, as much as they both clearly recognised each other as brilliant scientists. 

All in all, it was rather a lot of effort for Starscream to try and make sure Hot Rod never came back.

Given what had happened last night, though...

"Look." Rodimus caught Starscream's arm, causing him to look up from whatever science-y device he was fiddling with. "Are you really not upset at all?" 

"About what?" Starscream's optics flickered in genuine confusion. Had he really not known? He couldn't possibly _not_ realise that something had gone wrong last night! Either way it was better to come clean now than for him to find out later from Megatron. Genius that he was, Starscream worked it out before Rodimus could confess. "Oh, that. Well, your absence this morning was quite, hmm...disheartening?" Starscream shrugged. "Waking up next to you is the best part of my day, after all. But I can hardly blame you for what happened last night."

"Of course you ca -" Rodimus' processor ran ahead of the conversation and found the inevitable result. "Oh, no. You're not blaming me." His shoulders slumped. "You're mad at Hot Rod, aren't you." 

"Don't worry," Starscream soothed, patting his cheek. "I won't hold you responsible for his actions, Rodimus. Anyway, we'll just get these readings. Do you fancy a drive afterwards?"

"...kind of, actually." He didn't have much on today - just a report for Magnus, a check-up with Ratchet and a bit of paperwork he'd been ignoring for a week. It had been a while since he'd properly pushed his systems to their limits. Oh, and he still had to ask Optimus if he felt anything each time he switched from Rodimus to Hot Rod and back again. Just a passing curiosity, as Starscream had said, but it could be useful information. Rodimus was still trying to find a way to ask him without it being unbearably awkward.

"All right. Just this quick scan, and..." Starscream trailed off, staring at the results. "Have you had any energon at all today?"

"Oh! Sorry, no." Rodimus sheepishly withdrew his cube before he got a lecture on proper self-care. "Got it here, though. I was, um, busy this morning." 

"Well, drink it," Starscream said in an annoyed huff. "I don't want that medic coming after me about you not refuelling properly." A quick, apologetic smile, and Rodimus downed the cube. 

\---

The report for Magnus was easy enough, as it consisted of little more than 'everything is fine, nothing is ruined' translated into Magnus-ese. People were actually taking this whole peace thing seriously. Rodimus even threw in a few footnotes since he was feeling generous and the only thing Magnus liked better than a footnote was a footnote with another footnote. Rodimus' hand was on the control panel for the door (he still knew all the over-ride codes, a great and terrible power in the envious optics of those inclined to pull pranks) when Magnus called out to him. 

"Is everything all right with you, Rodimus?"

"Huh?" 

"In general, I mean," his friend said, ignoring the big, juicy, mind-numbing report - his favourite kind, Rodimus hadn't even understood half the jargon he'd thrown into it but knew Magnus would appreciate it - to look over at him instead. 

"Aww, Maggie, I didn't know you cared," Rodimus grinned. "I'm just fine, thanks. Though I won't be if you make me late for Ratchet."

"Ah. Point taken. I won't keep you, then." A jaunty wave and a shake of his aft because hey, it was Magnus, and Rodimus hurried out. You were not late for Ratchet's appointments. You just weren't.

\---

It was just a simple check-up, only half-way through Starscream ambushed them and started asking questions.

"And I told you, he's fine!" Ratchet snapped, optics glinting dangerously the way they did just before he threw something at you. "You want to know about the mystic stuff, go annoy Prime. I mean, Optimus," he said, waving them out. Rodimus didn't need further prompting, forcing Starscream to scurry after him amid protests that he just needed more _information_ , Primus damn-it!

"Trust me, I did you a favour."

"Medics are so touchy," Starscream huffed. Rodimus smiled, any number of witty comebacks crossing his mind for _that_ one, but instead he just waved at a passing Bluestreak. "Shall we go for that drive?"

\---

Rather than simply shooting ahead of his mate - even the fastest of ground-based vehicles had no hope against a seeker, let alone this particular seeker - Starscream elected to execute (not 'perform,' thank you) impressively difficult manoeuvres instead; hairpin turns and barrelling corkscrews that turned into straight dives before he whisked away from the ground at the last moment. Rodimus whooped, churning across one of Cybertron's great plains. With no buildings to destroy it was one of the few places on the planet with no rubble to negotiate, letting him just go flat-out instead. Exhausted but immeasurably happy, he returned smiling with an arm comfortably slung around his purring mate. 

Frag what everyone else thought, this was worth it.


End file.
